Wonderful And Terrible Books For Christmas.

[andy-hughes]

As a music fanatic, I am always delighted to receive books about music for Christmas.

This year, I have received two, which are the opposite ends of the appreciation scale.

One is the David Bowie book by Paul Morley, and it underlines my long-held opinion (since his NME days) that Paul Morley is the most pretentious man alive. The book is literally unreadable, a serious rarity in my experience, and I will try and return if and get something else.

The other is the book about 1971 by David Hepworth, a journalist of supreme skill, matched only by his depthless enthusiasm for the time when so much changed in the world through the music released in that amazing year.

So, a couple of recommendations there - ignore one and adore the other!

[Bigbad]

I read a David Bowie book a few years ago. I can’t remember who wrote it, but that author was a pretentious pillock too! It was such hard work, and was worded similarly to “the somnambulation of the perambulation of the zeitgeist comparators makes one think of the affectation of a pseudocholinesterase whilst attempting to attain warp factor 5”.
I read a book about punk too, (I think it was called ‘England’s Dreaming’) and that was exactly the same!

If I see Paul Morley on TV, I always think he needs taking down a peg or two.

I often make the mistake of putting the TV on to watch the news, and the BBC Film Review programme comes on, and I think that Mark Kermode bloke is even more of a pretentious/self important/pompous twit!

Anyway, you enjoy your other book, and I’ll stick with my ‘bible’ - Reelin’ In The Years by Brian Sweet.

[jno]

I saw Mark Kermode at a silent film evening a couple of months ago. He was in the backing band, playing harmonica and theremin and introducing the film. He was rather good. Obviously, one should never entirely trust a man who thinks The Exorcist is the greatest film ever made, but he was funny.

[donny48]

I was given "I'm Your Man" : Life Of Leonard Cohen by Sylvie Simmons, I have read the first two chapters and it appears to be very good, saving the rest to take on holiday in Feb.

[andy-hughes]

donny - it is, I have that book, and i can recommend it.

I didn't know MK thinks The Exorcist is the greatest film ever made - does he not qualify that statement? Greatest horror film may well have a shout, but greatest film ever? Even I, a non-film buff would wonder about that.

[jno]

no, andy, no qualification

'The thing with The Exorcist, which is my favourite film of all time, is that it still stands up to this day'

http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/feature/a675634/5-films-that-frightened-the-life-out-of-mark-kermode-the-exorcist-has-never-failed-me/

[andy-hughes]

jno - so MK doesn't think it's the 'best film ever made, which would need some serious backup - but that it is his favourite film of all time, and still stands up today, which is an opinion, and requires no back up at all.

[naomi24]

Anyone's choice of the best film ever made - either overall or in a specific genre - can only ever be an opinion. No amount of back-up would prove it to those who hold an alternative opinion.

[jno]

"best film" is an opinion, as naomi says. There are no possible objective criteria for proving this: your favourite film will always be the one you think is best and vice versa.

[andy-hughes]

I don't actually think that is true.

Maybe it's the critic in me, but I am always able to say that something is good, even if I don't actually like it. I have reviewed many live shows of bands I don't like, playing concerts I have not enjoyed, but they were still good, and I have said so.

For instance, I would agree that It's A Wonderful Life is a classic film, and maybe the best Christmas film ever made, but I think it's a dreadful piece of work, and nothing would induce me to watch it again.

So my favourite films may not be considered the 'best' - but I still love them the most.

[sunny-dave]

I'm sure you've read this, andy, but it's still one of the best rock (auto)biographies around :

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

- a nice little article about how it was written too :

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/10/27/keith-richards-memoir-writer-james-fox-speaks.html

[naomi24]

//Maybe it's the critic in me, but I am always able to say that something is good, even if I don't actually like it. //

That is not unique to you. I think most of us acknowledge that whilst a particular film may not necessarily appeal to us personally, it is nevertheless well made, well acted, etc.

//So my favourite films may not be considered the 'best' - but I still love them the most.//

That’s precisely the point. It’s all ‘opinion’.

[andy-hughes]

I don't wish to appear to be being pedantic here Naomi, but I don't think some things being 'best' is a matter of opinion - it can be a matter of fact.

If an Oscar for Best Editor is offered, then that is awarded to the film that has the best editing, which is a measurable entity for those who know what they are looking at. This does not have any bearing on whether the film is any good, or indeed popular, so opinion is not the issue.

[naomi24]

andy-hughes, Since there is no definitive yardstick, it is not a ‘measurable entity’. Several films are nominated in each category and the winners are elected by a democratic ballot of over 6000 members of the Academy who come from all sections of the industry. Therefore the result is not one chosen by ‘experts’ in any particular field, but simply the majority opinion.